Hydrogen permeable encapsulated solid-state hydride materials and method for forming and using same

Abstract

A capsule having a hydrogen gas permeable shell with solid-state hydride material, such as hydrogen rich LiAlH 4 , Li 3 AlH 6 , and/or AlH 3 encapsulated therein. The hydrogen gas permeable shell has pores that are between about 1 nm to about 150 μm in diameter to allow hydrogen gas to be extracted from the capsule. After passing the capsule through a hydrogen extraction zone, the capsule containing the spent solid-state hydride material is removed and is sent to recycling, wherein the capsule is opened to remove the spent solid-state hydride material, and the spent solid-state hydride material is rehydrogenated and repacked in a hydrogen gas permeable shell. The shell of the spent solid-state hydride material can be recycled and reused to make new shells.

1. A capsule having a hydrogen gas permeable shell with solid-state hydride material encapsulated therein, comprising:
 a hydrogen gas permeable shell having a shape selected from the group consisting of generally spherical, generally cylindrical with hemispherical ends, and oblate spheroid; and 
 solid-state hydride material placed in the hydrogen gas permeable shell, wherein the capsule is flowable. 
 
     
     
       2. The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen gas permeable shell comprises at least two connected shell sections. 
     
     
       3. The capsule of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two hydrogen gas permeable shell sections are at least one of frictionally connected, adhered together, or welded together. 
     
     
       4. The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen gas permeable shell comprises a material selected from the group consisting of porous α-alumina, coarse α-alumina base coated with finer layers of α-alumina and a top layer of γ-alumina, porous synthetic silica membranes, perforated metal, microporous network polymers, vitreous silica glass membranes, microporous crystalline zeolites, microporous metal-organic frameworks with interconnected pores, templated ceramics, microporous expanded poly(tetrafluoroethylene) material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       5. The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen gas permeable shell has pores that are between about 1 nm to about 150 μm in diameter. 
     
     
       6. The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the solid-state hydride material is hydrogen rich material selected from the group consisting of LiAlH 4 , Li 3 AlH 6 , AlH 3 , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. A capsule having a hydrogen gas permeable shell with solid-state hydride material encapsulated therein, comprising:
 a hydrogen gas permeable shell comprising a material selected from the group consisting of porous α-alumina, coarse α-alumina base coated with finer layers of α-alumina and a top layer of γ-alumina, porous synthetic silica membranes, perforated metal, vitreous silica glass membranes, microporous crystalline zeolites, microporous metal-organic frameworks with interconnected pores, templated ceramics, and combinations thereof; and 
 solid-state hydride material placed in the hydrogen gas permeable shell.